The present invention relates to a method of shaping a spherical body from a continuously fed cylindrical body consisting dough crust and a filling. The invention relates also to the apparatus for shaping a spherical body from a continuously fed cylindrical body.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 60-85178 (issued on Jun. 12, 1985) discloses a cutter assembly comprising a plurality of shutters in a guide and means to slide the shutters whereby bar foodstuffs are cut. The shutters each have two sliding faces. When one shutter is moved, the other shutters are forced against one another, causing the shutters to form a center opening or close it.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,883,678 discloses a method for shaping a spherical body consisting of dough crust and filling, in which a continuously fed cylindrical body, consisting of dough crust and a filling, is constricted by at least three sliding members which form an opening or closes it. The members slide one each other so as to constrict the cylindrical body. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,734,024 and 4,767,304 disclose similar apparatus for shaping a spherical body. The apparatus comprises at least three sliding members which form an opening or closes it.
According to the aforesaid prior art designs, and one sliding member is driven to move the other sliding members, so as to form an opening or to close the opening. Because the sliding members are not simultaneously moved by a driving mechanism, less force is received by the last sliding member, causing the sliding members unable to accurately cut off the leading part of the continuously fed cylindrical body. When a spherical body is formed from the continuously fed cylindrical body, the filling may leak out of the spherical body. According to FIGS. 18 and 19 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,767,304, two pins 99, 100 fixed to the sliders are provided and connected to a pair of the members in order to facilitate the sliding operation. However, because the inner sliding surfaces of the sliding members rub against one another during the sliding operation, the sliding members wear quickly with use. When the sliding members start to wear, they cannot positively cut off the continuously fed cylindrical body.